Chasing Charlie

Star Crossed?

Charlie woke up with a start, the antiseptic smell of the hospital room filling her nose. Before she'd even opened her eyes she had reached down, her fingers searching for the edges of the tape that held her IV in place, her heart hammering out of control in her chest as she tried to remember what she had done to land herself back in the hospital again. The hospital always meant going back to juvie. Every time she got in a fight, in foster care or a group home, or even while she was already in juvie, she just ended up stuck in there longer.

Hell, she'd spent the max of 15 days in seclusion over and over and over again when she was fourteen.

A shiver ran through her body.

Except she wasn't a kid anymore and juvie wasn't an option.

Someone caught her wrist, forcing it away from the tape she'd managed to peel back.

"Charlie, Charlie Baby, calm down. You're safe." His touch, even as firm as it was wound around her wrist, caused her body to relax considerably. "And yes, I feel that too. I'm sorry I was such an ass to you earlier. I should have had Luke bring you here right away. I promise you Baby, I will never send you away again."

Charlie scooted away from him a tiny bit so that she could get a better look at the huge man who was making these promises, as if she was really seeing him for the first time. He was incredibly handsome. And his every touch made her body go wild. That was undeniable. She remembered the first time she'd walked in the room and seen him lying on his brother's bed. She'd felt like she needed to reach out and steady herself on something because she had felt like the entire room had spun round when she had looked at him. And fuck, every time she was within six feet of him she could smell him, and he smelled so damn good.

"Is it okay if I call the doctor in to have a look at all those injuries from that asshole?" Charlie nodded, swallowing to try to wet her dry throat. "Oh, I'm sorry sweetie. I didn't even think about how thirsty you must be. After that stunt you pulled last night with the tequila that Luke stole for you." He raised an eyebrow at her before rolling his eyes as he handed her an ice water with a straw. "Such a bad girl." He made a clicking sound with his tongue.

"Alpha," she leaned towards him ever so slightly and just like she knew he would, he leaned in even closer. "I would say you'll have to punish me when we get back to your room, but I'm pretty sure that I'm the one who's going to be punishing you for the way you treated me when I first got here." Sitting back against her pillow she raised one eyebrow at him and smirked.

"I should tie you up and show you what happens to ba-" Liam's mouth was actually hanging open, his cock so hard he had to grab one of the extra pillows that was laying by her side to hide it when Dr. Norris knocked on the door.

"Is it okay if I take a look at you now Charlie?" Dr. Norris asked, giving her soon to be Luna a bright smile.

"I guess so," Charlie shrugged before letting out a slow sigh. "I think I'm totally fine. Somebody totally over reacted bringing me here. I just got a phone call and got upset and broke my phone like a dumbass and had way too much to drink."

"Wait, who called you?" Liam could barely keep the anger from bubbling over into his voice. He was fairly certain he knew the answer to his question already.

"It's fine. You really don't want to know-" As they argued, the doctor began her exam, pulling back the sheets and checking over the many parts of Charlie's body that had been damaged in the assault.

"I need to know, Charlie. So I can protect you." Charlie rolled her eyes at his reasoning but let him reach out and take her hand.

"It was Brenden. I wouldn't have picked it up if I had looked, but I just assumed it was Luke calling to tell me about his mate. I should have been more careful."